Second Shift: from Crisis to Collaboration is the inside story of how the Lansing region’s collaborative “Keep GM” campaign turned a crisis into a gift that keeps on giving.

Goals:

Tell the story of how the Lansing community, through the “Lansing Works! Keep GM” campaign, helped to persuade General Motors to stay in the region and build three state-of-the-art plants.

Underscore the importance of collaborative, regional problem solving and the ongoing benefits that grow out of creative partnerships.

Interviews: Forty interviews were conducted with individuals involved in the Keep GM campaign, as well as with other regional leaders. While not all made it into the film, their testimonies provided important background for story content.

Financing: The budget for producing the film was $200,000. More than 30 organizations and individuals donated funds, grants or in-kind services to support the project. The Michigan Institute for Contemporary Art is the fiduciary for the project.

Additional funding will be sought to complete Phase 2 of the project— further website development, marketing and distribution, instructional/case study video, and more. To donate, contact Ray Tadgerson at 517.799.3888.

Advisory Team: A team of former Keep GM campaign participants and other interested individuals was convened at the project’s start to seek input on the fim’s scope and content. Their guidance was invaluable throughout the film’s progress.